


Digital Activism

by orphan_account



Series: Fill the Void [19]
Category: Funhaus (Video Blogging RPF), Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Angst, Fluff, M/M, Online Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-02
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:09:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23446030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Lawrence has been gaming with a specific group online for years now. He likes to think he's good friends with them and has managed a pretty stable relationship (of sorts) with Adam.But when the chance of seeing Adam in public arises, Lawrence wonders that maybe he won't be enough on his own.
Relationships: Adam Kovic/Lawrence Sonntag, Bruce Greene/Matt Peake, Elyse Willems/James Willems
Series: Fill the Void [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1663750
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	Digital Activism

Tuesday and Thursday nights were ritual nights for Lawrence. He’d get off work at five, have dinner around six, and boot up his PC for seven. When he’d finish his work early, he had time to himself to get set up a bit earlier. Loading up World of Warcraft, checking out his stats, thinking about what they’d do that night. Was it time to grind and level up a bit? Or have some fun and put the hours into a quest. It was up to what the others wanted.

He had his headphones on when he heard someone else come online.

_deadpixel_

Adam.

“Hey, Adam,” he said.

There was some rustling on the other end. “Hey, Lawrence. You’re on early.”

“Thought it should be me this time to set up the party.” They usually took turns, their group. Making sure everything was good before everyone else came online.

Adam laughed lightly, cheerfully. Lawrence found himself smiling. “That’s kind of you. Do you have anything in mind for tonight?”

“Depends on what everyone else wants to do tonight. I could go either way honestly.”

“Just like my sexuality,” Adam joked.

Lawrence laughed, a fluttering sort of feeling taking root in his stomach. “Mm. Did you hear about the update coming for No Man’s Sky? I hear it’s going to be really good.”

“Ugh. Don’t remind me. I’ve got a co-worker who hasn’t stopped bitching about the game since it came out. I’m going to be lectured to death next week.”

Another alert. Two players this time. The Willemses. The resident married couple of the group.

“Oh, look. If it isn’t our two resident love birds,” James teased.

Adam and Lawrence both scoffed. It was a pretty common joke in the rest of the group. The things between Adam and Lawrence. How they always had each other’s backs, always looked out for each other while in character. And then someone else would usually say—normally Alanah—“Geez, you two. Get a room.”

Soon after they were joined by Alanah, the resident Australian on the team, and Matt and Bruce, the other gaming couple. And then finally Omar a few minutes later. Finally, the team was assembled.

He’d been gaming with this crew of people for coming on two years now. While WOW was their first and go to game, they’d branched out into other stuff. Halo here and there if only a few of them could get together. A few other survival based games that Bruce suggested they try out like Ark: Survival or 7 Days to Die. Fortnite and PUBG were good when they just wanted to have some quick fun. They were a solid group, and Lawrence would consider these guys some of his closest friends. It was easy to talk to them, easier than some of his real life friends. Because in the game it was different. They had time to be themselves and then they had time to be someone completely different. That’s what Lawrence liked about it. There was logic and there were rules and jumping between necessary skill and basic comradeship that made games like these fun for Lawrence.

When playing something like WOW, they normally had their pairs that worked for them. Omar and Matt. Bruce and James. Alanah and Elyse. Adam and Lawrence. One could say it’d be expected that gaming so much together meant that they’d be closer together, right? That’s the only reason why Adam and Lawrence were so friendly with each other. Nothing too deep to look into.

“Hey, Lawrence, have you checked out the trailer for Red Dead 2?” Adam said at the end of their quest when they were out of character, enemies cleared, and purchasing things in game.

“You ask Lawrence about the Red Dead trailer and not me?” Alanah said. “Adam, I’m so betrayed right now.”

On the other end, Adam sputtered out a response. “I mean, I was just thinking—“

“You _know_ how excited I am for that game, Adam.”

It was gentle ribbing on Alanah’s part. To be fair, she’d been looking forward to that game since the announcement came out years prior. But it did make Lawrence think. Adam always spoke to him first about developments in the gaming industry. Even though all of them worked—in one way or another—in gaming news and entertainment, even if Lawrence was always up to date on that stuff, Adam always wanted to tell him. Eager and excited to bring Lawrence some joy or some tidbit of good news. And it was always for Lawrence, something the others had picked up on but not the two of them. Not yet.

“Anyone going to E3 this year?” Omar asked. “And I’m totally not asking because I’m being sent there for work and just don’t want to be in a convention hall full of strangers for three days.”

“I think that can be arranged,” Elyse said. “And also. Work function. Mommy’s getting paid to play.”

“Daddy too,” James added. “Don’t forget about that.”

“What does that make the rest of us?” Bruce said. “You’re no doubt in bred children?”

“I think you’re technically old enough to be the grandfather,” Matt said.

The group laughed at Bruce’s indignant response.

“Does that mean Peake’s sleeping on the couch?” Adam asked.

“No,” Bruce said. “I could never. I _luuv_ him.” He made kissing sounds over the microphone and that no doubt had Matt avoiding him as much as he could.

Lawrence found it interesting to be on the in to a few relationships here. James’s and Elyse’s common sense of humor. Matt’s gentle support for Bruce and Bruce’s overt sense of pride in Matt’s gamily abilities. And then there was the fact that Omar and Matt had been great friends for years already. And Alanah’s ability to just seamlessly riff off of any of them. It made Lawrence _want._ It made him want something _real._ Something tangible. He just didn’t know how to _get it._ His in person social skills weren’t on par with his gaming skills.

“Lawrence?” Adam said.

“Yeah?”

“So what’s your answer?”

“Oh, uh.” He actually remembered that he was going to E3 for some interview and reporting work. He just couldn’t escape the fact that he was potentially going to be meeting some of these people face to face. “Yeah, yeah I am,” he said.

“Great,” Adam said. “Can’t wait to see you finally.”

“Yeah, you too.”

”Again,” Alanah said. “Always excited to see Lawrence. Never excited to see me. What the fuck.”

E3. Electronic Entertainment Expo. Where all the big names in video game entertainment came up and offered up what they had to the masses. Big day for anyone interested in gaming, so of course Lawrence would find himself at the convention hall ready and waiting for the interviews and soundbites to begin. He had to work, first of all, but as soon as he had the material he needed, he was free to wander the convention floor, test out the games, and talk to some interesting YouTube personalities.

The first day was busy. The group chat was still figuring out where everyone was, times where they could all get together, what hotel they were staying at, that Lawrence didn’t worry about bumping into any of them on the floor. He stuck by himself for the most part, preferred to be on his own. It wasn’t because he was fighting his nerves, anxious at the idea of meeting one of them. _It wasn’t._ He just preferred his own company. It wasn’t because he had bad experiences in the past that warped his own ability to make friends and read people.

Nearing the end of the day, he caught up on the group chat. Plans to go to dinner at some nearby restaurant, and Lawrence … he wanted to go. He really did. He just didn’t think he was ready yet. He had two more nights in the hotel here. He’d … he’d go then. He’d get himself together and go then.

So he didn’t go. Not that first night. And when they asked where he was, that they could wait for him, he brushed them off. Making excuses that he had some work to finish up for the night so he’d have more free time the next day. What he wasn’t prepared for though was Adam’s personal messages.

_< <everything okay??>>_

<<yeah. why wouldn’t it be>>

_< <idk. Was just hoping to see you tonight>>_

<<well I’m free tomorrow?>>

_< <is that a question or a comment>>_

<<lol. I don’t know why I ended it like that. I’m totally free btw>>

_< <perfect! Because so am i. and I totally want to meet the guy who’s always rez-ing my ass>>_

<<you got it! Got any place in mind?>>

_< <I might. Keep yourself available Sonntag. I’m coming for you>>_

<<blush>>

_< <kiss>>_

So as far as Lawrence was aware, he was now going to meet Adam on his own at some bar a few blocks away from the convention. He didn’t know what to think about this and adamantly tried not to think about it. He’d get himself stuck in a loop and talk himself out of it somehow and he didn’t want to do that this time. Not when he was going to be meeting Adam in the flesh. Tonight. Oh God.

He spent a considerable amount of time in front of the mirror getting dressed. He didn’t want anything as trivial as his appearance getting in the way of making this a good night, but it wouldn’t be the first time—or probably the last, his traitorous mind liked to remind him—that it’d happen. He just hoped Adam was as nice in person as he was online.

He came into the bar precisely ten minutes late. Ten minutes was a safe bet and that way he’d know if Adam planned on just ditching him.

<<I’m here. where are you>>

_< <the one guy sitting alone>>_

So he looked up and found the one table that seated only one person. He’d seen pictures of Adam. Hard not to after a virtual friendship of two years. But it was still nothing in comparison to the real. The pictures didn’t do justice to Adam’s broad frame. His hair looked thick, something Lawrence wanted to sink his fingers into. Round faced with a full beard, he was so very handsome. And so very much Lawrence’s type.

He approached the table. Adam looked up and smiled. He stood and smiled and oh his smile. It made him look so soft.

“Lawrence?” he said and Lawrence nodded. “Hey! It’s so good to see you. Fuck.” And he did something that surprised Lawrence. He hugged him. Wrapped his arms around him and held him close. Lawrence returned the embrace.

“It’s good to see you, too.”

“Come on. Take a seat.”

Adam looked utterly entranced, and it had Lawrence blushing like a school girl. He wasn’t used to being the object of someone’s desire like this. It was nice.

“I’m happy you could make it,” Adam said as the end of the night neared. “And I’m happy I could have you alone, too.”

“Fuck, the guys are going to have so much shit to say when they find out,” Lawrence said.

“Pretty sure they already know.” Then Adam pointed to the bar, and sure enough there was Bruce, Omar, and Matt.

“Ah, fuck.”

Adam smiled at him and set his hand down on top of Lawrence’s. “This okay?” he asked.

Lawrence nodded. “More than okay.”

“I’m glad you came out.”

“I am, too.”


End file.
